Caught Red Handed
by papillonblanc
Summary: Art class antics lead to reveal. A whole lot of Adrinette fluff. Probably some LadyNoir.
1. Chapter 1

Stewing over her newest piece, Marinette began to click her pen. The sound was comforting in the stark silence of the classroom. She looked to Alya, hoping to receive a bit of inspiration from her friend's brush stroke. But, still nothing came. Her mind wandered to napping kwami in her bag and then to the window. Maybe the city she loved would over the inspiration she needed.

Marinette had become completely unreactive as she watched the clouds float by, but, much to Adrien's disappointment, she continued to click at the pen. Adrien clenched his fist around his brush as he tried to ignore the obnoxious noise. _Deep breath_ , he glanced to Marinette, still clicking away. He closed his eyes, longing for the silent work space of his bedroom.

Adrien cleared his throat, earning a slightly jarred expression from Marinette. "Huh" a slight gasp escaped from the girls lips. Her eyes widened and brows knit in slight confusion. Her thumbed froze over the top of the pen. She blinked slowly as Adrien's eyes drifted from the girl to her stalled finger.

"Must you?" He mocked.

"Must I what?"

"The pen."

"What pen?"

"Marinette. The pen you keep clicking."

"Oh, sorry." She removed her thumb from the pen. "It's a habit." Her head fell, blushing from embarrassment.

The silence returned to the table. Adrien had returned to his work, adamant on finishing the piece before the class period ended. The brush he held moved delicately across the canvas. He paused to glance up at the girl across from him. _To check if she was about to click the pen,_ he told himself.

For a second, his eyes focused on the delicate way she held her pen. It wasn't long before the point of the tool led him to the flick of her wrist, to the shift of her sweater on her shoulder, and to the round curve of her cheek. He held his breath as she dragged a finger from her forehead to behind her ear, tucking away a stray strand of hair.

Marinette's eyelids fluttered in excitement as she hunched over. Adrien smiled a she watched the girl draw her hand across the paper and sketch the beginnings of a new piece. She looked up, not to see him, but in a moment of epiphany. However, her eyes didn't hesitate to rest on the blonde dork staring at her.

He panicked when she looked up. His hands fumbled and bounced his paint brush from hand to hand before it clinked against the floor. Red striped his hands from paint and flushed his cheeks from embarrassment. A laugh escaped the lips of Marinette as she watched the boy fumble. He brushed the paint stained hand across his forehead, pushing away his hair and streaking his face in the color. "What are you laughing at?" he scoffed with a grin.

"You," her shoulders shook as she continued to laugh.

"Who's laughing now?" he smirked. He raised a finger and reached across table. The finger landed on her nose, leaving a red dot.

"Hey!" she squeaked. "You're supposed to say that after."

"What?"

"You say 'Who's laughing now,' after you put the paint on my nose."

He smiled slyly in response. Marinette watched in confusion as Adrien stood and walked around the table. "Mari," he whispered. The hand, streaked red, reached up and rested upon her cheek.

Marinette smiled at the feeling of his hand on her cheek. She gazed into his eyes as he sweetly smiled back. Her insides melted as his eyes twinkled. "Yes, Adrien?" she giggled

"Who's laughing now?"

Her eyes widened in confusion. Adrien pulled his hand away and Marinette saw the paint left on it. Automatically her hand went to her cheek and drew away, stained with red. Her eyes opened wide in mock annoyance. "You did not just do that, Mr. Agreste."

She dropped her pen, which had previously been locked in a clenched fist, and reached to the blonde's pallet. It pushed down into a puddle of blue. The color was quickly transferred to the miffed face of Adrien with a gently swipe to his cheek.

His shock smoothly transferred to a sly grin as he attempted to grab Marinette's hand. "You're red. I'm blue. Together we make purple."

Marinette held her breath for as long as possible before a laugh burst forth from her lips. "That is by far the worst pick up line I have ever heard."

"Not a fan of 'Master Pick-up Artist Adrien Agreste'?"

"He just reminds of a certain, annoying, cat I know." Adrien paused at the comment, thinking of Plagg sitting in his bag. "What?" Marinette teased. "Cat's got your tongue."

The bell sounded from the p.a. system before he had the chance to respond. Adrien reached for Marinette's shoulder, but Alya had swept her away before he got her chance.

"Dude, what happened to your face?" Nino said, materializing next to him.

Adrien grabbed his bag, settling it on his shoulder. "Long story."


	2. Chapter 2

Claws gripping the tiles of the Parisian skyline, Adrien leaped from roof to roof. Wind whipped through his hair and made his ears twitched. The adrenaline rush of Chat Noir pulsed through his veins. He collapsed behind the shadow of a chimney, heart pounding. The cold wind nipped at his nose. Mouth opening in a much needed yawn, he watched color slowly seep into the sky. A rosy pink pushed forward into the depths of the violet sky.

"Out a bit late, don't you thing, kitty," cooed the silhouette in the distance. Chat Noir smiled as his lady joined him on the roof.

"Just clearing my head," he responded, running a hand through his already wild hair.

Ladybug clipped her yo-yo to her waist. "Oh my god!" She moved quickly to kneel before her partner. "Chat…" Her finger drifted across a stained eyebrow. "Is that blood?" her voice was pained at the idea.

Chat's eyes close, his mind drifting back to the earlier that night.

"It's just paint."

"Thank god." Ladybug's forehead rested against that of her companion. Relief flooded her voice as she broke out a small smile.

"M'lady, you care," he winked, puckering his lips to try and grab a kiss.

"Shut it." Ladybug's fist landed firmly on his arm, just hard enough to leave him rubbing his arm.

They sat in comfortable silence. Ladybug was in awe of the changing colors in the sky, but Chat's eyes were trained on his lady. "What's that?" Chat brushed away the hair hanging in Ladybug's face.

"Paint," she mumbled. A fierce blush graced her cheeks, her hand resting on the light print that had yet to wash off.

Chat Noir's green eyes sparkled at the comment. "How do you end up with a blue hand print on your cheek, princess?"

"It's a long story."

Looking around at the skyline, Chat smiled. Gently orange had yet to overtake the deep blue of the Parisian sky. "I've got time."

Landing gracefully at the base of his window, he let hold of his grip on Chat Noir. Adrien sloppily collapsed onto his bed. The high of leaping across Paris had worn off and his body ached. "Marinette."

"What happened to Ladybug." Plagg asked, with a hint of disinterest.

"Don't you see it!" Adrien pushed himself up onto his elbows. "She is Ladybug."

"Marinette? The girl who can't even talk around you."

"Im not crazy, Plagg. The paint. The blue handprint on her face." He yawned, tightly pulling his sheets around him. Adrien smiled into his pillow. "I found her, Plagg."

"I need to eat. We were out all night," whined Plagg. Adrien only grumbled in response, allowing the clutches of sleep to drag him under.

Marinette yawned class started. It had been a late night with Chat and she could barely stay awake. The door creaked, snapping her from her slumber.

"Monsieur Agreste. You are late." Adrien stopped in the doorway, his attempt to sneak into class had failed.

"Sorry, I-"

"No excuses. Take your seat."

Adrien reached his seat, turning to give a small smile to Marinette lying his head down on his desk.

"Girl, why are you so tired?" Alya pressed. Marinette tried to respond, but her voice was cut off by a large yawn. "You and Adrien both." She gestured to the blonde sitting in front of him, his head resting on the desk.

Nino poked at his head, no movement as he slept. "What were you two up to last night?" he chimed in.

"What! Nothing. We weren't. Not together. I was… at home. I was at home."

"Calm down, Mari. That's not what he meant."

Awaking from all the chatter, Adrien looked to the two behind him. He smile at Marinette once more, soft and sleep heavy. As her heart melted from the smile, Marinette noticed the red above Adrien's eyebrow. "Is that blood?" she cried, overwhelmed with concern.

"Huh? Oh. It's paint from yesterday."

Marinette froze. The word paint echoed on repeat to the movement of Adrien's mouth. Slowly the image shifted from Adrien to Chat Noir. "Blood…. Paint," she mumbled quietly to herself.

Marinette's hand shot into the sky. "Madame Busteir, may I go to the bathroom?"


End file.
